Telegram-herald., 1887-07-27

AT he more az lsss bsxaulsd city II fors
hnraB, IL Alchigan. opeosIts asrnis. IA
oassrio. last night Was organised the
Michigan SsnAedrln" q secrel society
composed 0f newsp4Pef msa. The society
w1s Instituted under the auspices of the
Aiehigaa Press Association viii ". Il.
BTsarley, proprietor of the Detroit Ltsss'sg
.Jesassssi. - 6rs1d fsnjsndrum. fhis ''esn-
hedra. is. Of course. q rituSiisre soc'sts
and tie meInbsrs are bound with sh The
horrible, soul-tsrFifysns esEhs that dlstin-
gnlsh the various college societies. temper
snoe lodges and female seminary cafoiess
bui are act 10 se found. 80 ns SAID.
IL Fee Masonry, ODD Fellowship, or fsth-
isn organizations. tader these clrcein-
stances il would ordinarily, Of course. he
wrong for meRber Of the guud 10 pcss
the secrets of the ''Sanhedrim.' but the
tact is that several Grand Rapids news-
paper men were on the COMMITTEES which
prepared the ritual aud these same nien
were afterwards excluded from member
ship by the Grand Council OF the order.
Very naturally these Grand Rapids jour
nslisls ieel somewhat ohagrined aud nave
delivered 10 the TEIEeKAN- HERALD
COPY of the ritual Tor
publication. The hrst requisite for mem
bership ia the ''Sanhecrim Is the ability
10 lie. The Grand Council Of the Michigan
Ssnhedrim having suthority from the An
nnnias Society. OF New York, is composed
Of Cen ID. b. Anger. OF the Charlotte
RepuJlcan, Commodore c. g. Hampton, of
the Harbor Springs f,depeade'sf. and Col. l.
NJ. Sellers. OF the Cedar Springs Clipper.
These gentlemen after pfayerful con-
sidersiion of the matter OF
eligibility decided that the one re
quislte for membership should depend
upon the number Of lies an applicant had
told every day of bis newspaper career. IL
was furthermore agreed that eligibihtS
should depend upon the number OF false
hoods tie candidate had actually Perpe-
trated, and not upon the number be had
ability aud willingness TO perpetrste. Mes
bitt, of the Big Rapids Herald, kicked as
usual He appeared before the Council and
insisted that there should be sliding scale
the scale being regulated by the number of
wears man had been IN the business and
the position he occupied. he con
tended. and very properly, that the
editor Of a country weekly had not the
opportunity 10 lie that was enjoyed by The
editor of city daily which publishes four
or five editions daily. Rev. James W. Hine
of the Detroit Tribune also insisted that
business manager or proprietor OF paper
should not be admitted on the same num-
Der Of falsehoods as Nd editor, as u was no.
t0rious that business managers and adser-
tsing SCENTS bad glorious opportunities in
this direction which never were enjoyed by
the poor. hard working editor up stairs. Mr.
Hine, however, WAS promptly frowned
down by Mr.. BTesrly, and the council
decided that every candidate for admission
must admit that be had uttered. or CON-
mitted to type. forty-ssven islsehoods per
day every day OF the year prior 20 his APP
plication, making total Of 1880 lies
This of course, precluded the possibility
of any Grand Rapids journalist ever being
initiated into the ''Sanhedrim.'
The ceremonies OF initiation are unique
in their way. The candidate is brought in
blindfolded aud marched 10 the music OF a
mailet and palmer in front Of the Grand
Pah ;andrum. Here the It's ofhis fingers are
dipped in pail Of eight cent ink and be is
taken in front of the alter on which lies
open a copy Of the American Newspaper
Directory he is compelled 10 rest tue
palms Of his hands on the open book in
such manner that he does not dsub il
with his inky fingers and then. while his
nose is ticklei with feather he takes the
oath. The oath is too horrible to bear re-
cital here. After il is taken the candidate
is compelled to swallow q wine glass full OF
strong I've and is led around the lodge and
asked seventy seven questions each Of
which he must answer with
lie: IL the lies are satisfactory
be is taken into full fellowship but II by
any mistake he answers truthfully to more
than one question, he is summarily bounced
before the bandage is removed from biz
eyes.
Frank Godfrey and =. II. Hosford, both
former Grand Rapids newspaper men.
failed to pass the ordeal-Godfrsy could not
lie and Hosford vss frightened by the oath.
The Detroit, Port Huron. Bay City and
Saginaw fellows prsDced gsiiy through the
initiation, and Joe Mulbaiton, George Al
f-ed Townsend and Eugene Field were
elected honorary members. Bill Nye sp-
piled, bat was disqualified on the ground
49,. .v.r~t,r,dx beifaves H. lies